DAW Controller?

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LupineSound
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DAW Controller?

Post by LupineSound » Wed Apr 23, 2014 6:15 am

Do you any of you use a DAW controller for mixing/automation? I generally prefer mixing in the box, but doing it via mouse is too slow. I use an APC40 when I mix in Ableton, but it doesn't seem to work as well in Pro Tools. Just wondering what you guys use.

I'm considering getting an Artist Mix but I'm concerned that to do something like alter an API 550 EQ, I'll have to select the track and then select the insert, then select which knob I want the rotary encoder to turn. That does not sound like much of a time saver.

WillMorgan
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Post by WillMorgan » Wed Apr 23, 2014 10:46 am

Just in case you have an ipad or other touch tablet and have not spent the $5 or whatever it is to get a controller interface app for pro tools you should check that out. I love Logic Remote because I can cue and hit record when I'm sitting at the drums etc..
- EP "Built Some" released 12/13/13
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llmonty
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Post by llmonty » Wed Apr 23, 2014 12:01 pm

yes, nyrinck's controller for ipad is pretty super cool and supports plug in manipulation.
richmond is a really cool town - supafuzz

kslight
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Post by kslight » Wed Apr 23, 2014 4:40 pm

Would the consensus be that the V Control Pro is the best controller app for Pro Tools? The price tag is steep ($50) for an app compared to the others, but well there's got to be a reason for that right? I have an "old" first gen iPad that my wife stopped using that I want to repurpose as a controller (using Touchable for Ableton Live and something for Pro Tools?), how is the performance on older iPads?

Injured Ear
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Post by Injured Ear » Fri Apr 25, 2014 5:46 pm

kslight wrote:Would the consensus be that the V Control Pro is the best controller app for Pro Tools? The price tag is steep ($50) for an app compared to the others, but well there's got to be a reason for that right? I have an "old" first gen iPad that my wife stopped using that I want to repurpose as a controller (using Touchable for Ableton Live and something for Pro Tools?), how is the performance on older iPads?
I bought V Control Pro for my 1st Gen iPad. It works fine. Maybe a tiny bit laggy at times. It's not quite as quick/easy with plugin control as I'd like... it's a few menu selections to bring up the plugin on the ipad screen, then resize it to make it usefully tweakable with my fingertips. If you close that plugin and open a new plugin on the computer screen, VControl doesn't follow, and the plugin you had open is greyed out on your iPad, so you can't tweak that either. So then you have to do through the same 3 button presses on your ipad to switch to the other plugin to tweak it. It's fine if you want to really sit and tweak just one plugin but if you are jumping from channel to channel and plugin to plugin it doesn't speed the process.

I'm used to overpaying for everything Protools related, so I didn't feel too ripped off by the $50 price. It gives me a whole lot of the usability that I get with my Artist Mix (and previously with my Command 8 ). I don't use it for fader rides. (because I have an artist mix already for that) but it makes it easy to do multiple send levels and mutiple fader levels. Maybe not as fine control as you have on an Artist Mix, but if you're building a rough mix, or setting up headphone sends, it's quick and easy to do that. Also, if you are recording yourself from the live room (or maybe everything in the room all at once or whatever.. it frees you to move away from your computer and still have total control over ProTools and look at your meters remotely.

I originally bought the 4 channel Artist Control and was sorely disappointed with the plugin mapping across the 8 knobs and the soft screen. I wound up trading in the Artist Control for an Artist Mix so I could have more real faders to grab

It's unfortunate that nothing really maps your plugins to a control surface like an S6 or a DCommand. It shouldn't be this hard.

All in all, it's worth $50 to me, but it doesn't give you what the control surfaces costing 100x more do. Darn it.

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Nick Sevilla
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Post by Nick Sevilla » Sat Apr 26, 2014 7:18 pm

I use the Control and the Mix together.

Once you learn the shortcuts to access plug ins, it is easy. It just takes a little practice to memorize those commands.

Like everything else.

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Howling at the neighbors. Hoping they have more mic cables.

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